Why You Need a Responsive Website in SA

Why You Need a Responsive Website in SA

With the staggering growth of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, and mobile device usage, via games, apps, social media, and websites, it is now essential that your business website is mobile friendly, so that your clients and prospects can easily browse and find information, regardless of what type of device (phone, tablet, desktop, etc.) they are using.

A RESPONSIVE WEBSITE HAS A MODIFIED LAYOUT AND REMAINS EASY TO READ AND NAVIGATE.

The menu is folded below a button, usually, at the top left corner, the text size is essential to read without sweat and the content of the site has been restructured in height without overflowing horizontally. There is no need to zoom in/out or scroll the site horizontally, the website visitor needs just to scroll vertically through the page.

STATIC VS. RESPONSIVE WEBSITES

Static websites don’t change. They do not change on mobile, tablet or desktop. Website visitors get the same view on every device and if the device is too thin for the website they would need to scroll horizontally.

On a small smartphone screen, texts become too small to be legible. The visitor must make constant zoom in’s & zoom out’s and scroll horizontally & vertically to reach the parts of the site he/she needs to access. These tactile operations are unfriendly for a website visitor and it is likely that he/she will leave the site very quickly.

On the other hand, responsive web design is the future for websites. The content of the website adjusts automatically on the user’s device. This method’s results are definitely worth it.

WHY YOU NEED A RESPONSIVE WEBSITE?

The rise of smartphones means that more and more people are going online from a mobile device, but here are some numbers:

Mobile Usage Is On The Rise

Shopping On Mobile Devices Is Steadily Growing

Social Media Increases Mobile Visitors

Responsive Designs Adapt To Multiple Devices Sizes

Responsive Sites Improve SEO Rankings

One Site Is Easier To Manage And Increase R.O.I.

Responsive Sites Provide A Better User Experience

A Better Bathroom Experience

Some years ago, companies used to have two websites, one desktop site and the other a mobile (.mobi) site but that didn’t solve the problem, instead it…

Generates twice more work because changes made on the mobile site need to be made to the computer site, and vice versa.

Updates cause many errors as the content are duplicated on both sites. With a responsive website, companies save time and money by ensuring that content is always up to date for all devices on only one site.

Is duplicated on several sites with different URLs which are bad Search Engine Optimization practices.

How to test if your website is responsive?

Open your website on a smartphone or computer browser, if the site is displayed in the same way on your PC but smaller because the browser has zoomed it out to fit the screen width, it is likely that the site is not responsive.

Open your website in your favorite browser but reduce the width of the window, if a horizontal scroll bar appears, the website is not responsive.

GET YOUR BUSINESS A RESPONSIVE WEBSITE TODAY

The experienced Advertising Solutions Web Design team can quickly set you up with a new responsive website or a redesign of your current site. All the websites are made to be responsive unless specified otherwise.

I have had only the best service from ASW Design! Kevin was in touch with me every step of the way in designing my website. Nothing I asked was ever too much work, and I felt like a priority throughout! And... my website was started and completed much faster than expected! I really appreciate such efficient service- thanks guys!!read more

Kevin has an incredible talent where is takes visions to the next level. He's work ethic is like no other I've ever seen and without a doubt one of the most well rounded designers I've had the pleasure of working with on several occasions. He delivers excellence on a platter and never fails in devotion to his projects. 100% all the time every time!read more

Kevin was amazing and understood my design needs completely. He made my website exactly as I wanted and even added some brilliant personal touches and extras i did not even think of. I would recommend Kevin and Advertising Solutions for anyone looking for a professional website.
Well done guys!!!read more

Kevin Ras and ASWD ROCKS! He designed our awesome company website, gave us super fast service and professional advise at an affordable rate for our start-up company. We are extremely happy with his service and he's a pleasant and friendly person to deal with (TelkoFin Consulting).read more

I gave Kevin my content and a one pager mock up with a theme in the form of a business card. He wowed my socks off with his website creation. So professional. Scope changes that I had were corrected asap. Service like this is hard to come by. Well Done!!!read more

WEBSITE HOSTING

What is Web Hosting?

When you design a website and want other people to see it, you will need to publish (or upload) it with a web hosting service.

Web hosting services work by storing your website files in high-powered computers (web servers) connected to a very fast network. When someone types in your web address (such as www.advertisingsolutions.co.za), the Internet connects to the web server holding your website files and then transfers your website information back to their computer. From there they can surf and view the pages of your website.

DOMAIN NAME

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name (www.yourcompanyname.co.za) is essentially your company’s Internet address; the same way your company’s street address is used to find your offices, a domain name is used to find your website. Consider this: Pick a domain name that’s memorable and relevant!

NUMBER OF STOCK PHOTOS

Stock photos are professionally taken photographs that we can buy online to use commercially, without having to stress over copy-right issues. It can be used to enhance your website or in marketing material.

Stock photos can save you quite a bit of time and money, as you do not have to hire a photographer just to have some quality images for your website. While stock images cover a broad range of applications, it can be difficult to acquire pictures for a certain niche, or a specific product.

NUMBER OF SLIDES

What is a slider?

A banner slider is comprised of images and text on multiple slides, allowing you to rotate content on a single space on your website. It’s most commonly the first thing you see (apart from the logo and menu) on a website’s home page. The purpose of the slider is to catch the attention of the viewer while being visually appealing and easy to read. It can be used to display selected information, such as promotions or highlighting specific products or services, and can also be used to easily navigate your site.

How many should I use?

This is dependable on the amount of content you have on your website. Small websites that do not have much information 1-2 sliders will be enough. Websites with more pages and content to market will require more sliders to make the navigation of the site easily digestible for the viewer, while promoting certain products or content. We do not recommend more than 5 slides, as we find that most viewers spend a few minutes on your home page before moving on to another page and won’t view more than 5 slides.

WEBSITE TYPE

Standard Website Design

This design is for the general purpose of getting your company’s information out on the internet and reaching potential customers. This does not include an online store/eCommerce, directories or custom development. As we use WordPress, you will also have the option of logging in to your website and doing some small changes yourself if you choose.

Online Store/eCommerce

This design option is for selling your products online, as well as having your information online and reaching potential customers. This includes payment gateway integration such as Payfast and EFT and also includes up to 50 individual products. If you have more products you can simply load them in yourself by logging into the backend of your website, where you can also manage your inventory and take stock. If you have a large selection and would prefer us to do it, we can assist you with loading all your products for an additional fee.

NUMBER OF PAGES

Most websites are comprised of 4 pages, eg: Home, About, Services/Products and Contact.

Your Home page welcomes the viewer, with a general summary of your company and what you have to offer. It also helps the viewer easily navigate your site. Your About page may list company history, your mission and vision, team members, company values or any information regarding your company.

Your Products or Services page is where you expand on the products or services you have. Your Contact page lists all your contact details, such as your physical address, contact number and email address. It is also good to have an enquiry form so potential clients can easily get in contact with you.

These are just the most common pages used, the amount of pages will depend on the amount of information you have.